CHENNAI: The Department of Cooperation launched the sale of 2 kg and 5 kg commercial cylinders on Thursday. The scheme launched in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd hopes to cater to the needs of street vendors, fishermen, small traders, tourists, and guest workers.
The price of a new connection of a 2 kgs cylinder is Rs 961.50 which includes the security deposit and the refill cost is Rs 253.50 and for the 5-kg cylinder, it is Rs 1,528 and Rs 584 respectively. The cylinders will be available for sale from Friday onwards at the departmental stores and petrol bunks run by the Triplicane Urban Co-Operative Society (TUCS).
“Over the next few days, the sale will be expanded to all district consumer cooperative wholesale stores and petrol bunks run by the cooperative department. Depending on the patronage, the department plans to sell the cylinders at all ration shops,” said an official.
Official sources said the consumer is not required to furnish proof of address to get a connection and a copy of any government-issued document such as PAN, driving licence, etc., is enough to validate the identity. Meanwhile, Minister of Cooperation I Periyasamy on Thursday launched the sale of kits that contain 24 grocery items for Rs 10 at TUCS Teynampet ration shop.
The kit was introduced by the self-service wing of TUCS and contains sugar, cloves, pattai, fenugreek, mustard, Anise, Bengal gram, cumin seeds, fried gram, Lifebuoy soap, Surf Excel soap, Rin soap, Vim soap, Twinkle soap, Pepsodent toothpaste, 3 Roses Tea, Knorr Soup, Britannia 50-50, Britannia Milk Bikis, Sunrise coffee, black gram dal split and red cow beas.